April 2, 2014 - Yosemite National Park reopens areas that were previously closed because of the Rim Fire. All areas previously closed, including the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias and hiking trails in the Hetch Hetchy area, are now open to the public. Visitors traveling in the areas impacted by last year's Rim Fire should be aware of potential risks including hazardous trees, uneven ground, potential rockfall, and down and dead debris on trails.

Fire restrictions put in place last summer and fall have also been rescinded. It is possible, however, that fire restrictions may be needed later this year due to the extreme drought conditions found in California.

The Rim Fire, which started on August 17, 2013 in Stanislaus National Forest, burned approximately 255,000 acres, with approximately 77,000 acres within Yosemite National Park. The affected areas have been closed to the public since the start of the fire.

In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act, establishing Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove as the first protected wild land for all time. In addition, this grant marked the first California State Park. Join Yosemite and its surrounding communities in honoring this milestone: www.nps.gov/yose/anniversary

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